Instrument panel assembly having hidden air bag door disposed laterally between vents

Abstract

An instrument panel for an automotive vehicle has a door for concealing an air bag. The door is covered with an extension of the same decorative material that covers the instrument panel. The door is placed between two laterally spaced air vents.

We claim: 
     
       1. An instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising: (a) an instrument panel having a wall provided with an opening,   (b) said wall having a closure normally closing said opening and concealing a stored air bag before it is deployed through the opening in a crash,   (c) said closure comprising a door having opposite side edge portions and a flexible, laterally extending hinge of one piece with the door,   (d) said wall having a decorative cover layer provided with an extension covering said door, said extension being of one piece with the cover layer,   (e) said door being capable of swinging open on said hinge in response to the force of impact of the air bag thereagainst when the air bag inflates so that the inflating air bag may deploy through the opening,   (f) a pair of laterally spaced apart air vent apertures in said wall disposed respectively on opposite sides of said door,   (g) said apertures having laterally inner edges defined by the side edge portions of said door so that there is no space between said laterally inner edges of the apertures and the side edge portions of the door,   (h) an air outlet distributor in each said aperture, said air outlet distributors having laterally inner edges in juxtaposed, substantially abutting, flush relationship with the side edge portions of the door, and   (i) the extension of said decorative layer covering said door and said air outlet distributors being made of materials that are different from one another and contrasting in appearance.   
     
     
       2. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 1, and further including an air outlet distributor in each said aperture, and said air outlet distributors having laterally inner edges substantially flush with the side edges of the door. 
     
     
       3. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the integral extension of said decorative layer covering said door and said air outlet distributors are made of materials that are different from one another and contrasting in appearance. 
     
     
       4. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said wall has a first substrate layer, said door has a second substrate layer overlapping said first substrate layer adjacent said hinge, means including a frame having a transverse frame bar adjacent said hinge rigidly interconnecting said first and second substrate layers at the overlap, said decorative cover layer overlying said first substrate layer and said integral extension of said decorative cover layer overlying said second substrate layer, and padding between said decorative cover layer and said first substrate layer and between said integral extension of said decorative cover layer and said second substrate layer. 
     
     
       5. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall has a first substrate layer, said door has a second substrate layer overlapping said first substrate layer adjacent said hinge, means interconnecting said first and second substrate layers at the overlap, said decorative cover layer overlying said first substrate layer and said extension of said decorative cover layer overlying said second substrate layer, padding between said decorative cover layer and said first substrate layer and between said extension of said decorative cover layer and said second substrate layer, said hinge extending along a line above said apertures, said first substrate layer having a pair of parallel ribs projecting into said padding toward said decorative cover layer, said ribs extending alongside the respective side edge portions of said door from the upper extremities of the apertures toward said hinge, said ribs projecting into said padding and reducing the thickness of said padding thereby establishing tear lines to facilitate opening of said door about said hinge when said air bag deploys. 
     
     
       6. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the integral extension of said decorative layer covering said door and said air outlet distributors are made of materials that are different from one another and contrasting in appearance. 
     
     
       7. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the integral extension of said decorative layer covering said door and said air outlet distributors are of different, contrasting colors. 
     
     
       8. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the integral extension of said decorative layer covering said door and said air outlet distributors are of materials that are different from one another and contrasting in color and texture. 
     
     
       9. An instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising: (a) an instrument panel having a wall provided with an opening,   (b) said wall having a closure normally closing said opening and concealing a stored air bag before it is deployed through the opening in a crash,   (c) said closure comprising a door having opposite side edge portions and a flexible, laterally extending hinge of one piece with the door,   (d) said wall having a decorative cover layer provided with an extension covering said door, said extension being of one piece with the cover layer,   (e) said door being capable of swinging open on said hinge in response to the force of impact of the air bag thereagainst when the air bag inflates so that the inflating air bag may deploy through the opening,   (f) a pair of laterally spaced apart air vent apertures in said wall disposed respectively on opposite sides of said door,   (g) said apertures having laterally inner edges defined by the side edge portions of said door,   (h) an air outlet distributor in each said aperture, said air outlet distributors having laterally inner edges substantially flush with the side edges of the door,   (i) said wall having a first substrate layer,   (j) said door having a second substrate layer overlapping said first substrate layer adjacent said hinge,   (k) means including a frame having a transverse frame bar adjacent said hinge rigidly interconnecting said first and second substrate layers at the overlap,   (l) said decorative cover layer overlying said first substrate layer and said extension of said decorative cover layer overlying said second substrate layer,   (m) padding between said decorative cover layer and said first substrate layer and between said extension of said decorative cover layer and said second substrate layer,   (n) said hinge extending along a line above said apertures,   (o) said first substrate layer having a pair of ribs projecting into said padding toward said decorative cover layer, said ribs extending alongside the respective side edge portions of said door from the upper extremities of the apertures toward said hinge, said ribs reducing the thickness of said padding and establishing tear lines to facilitate opening of said door about said hinge when said air bag deploys,   (p) the extension of said decorative layer covering said door and said air outlet distributors being made of materials that are different from one another and contrasting in appearance, color and texture,   (q) said frame being generally U-shaped and including side frame bars connected respectively to the ends of said transverse frame bar and extending along the side edge portions of said door and rigidly connected to said first substrate.   
     
     
       10. An instrument panel assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall has a first substrate layer, said door has a second substrate layer overlapping said first substrate layer adjacent said hinge, means including a frame having a transverse frame bar adjacent said hinge rigidly interconnecting said first and second substrate layers at the overlap, said decorative cover layer overlying said first substrate layer and said extension of said decorative cover layer overlying said second substrate layer, and padding between said decorative cover layer and said first substrate layer and between said extension of said decorative layer and said second substrate layer, said frame being generally U-shaped and including side frame bars connected to the ends of said transverse frame bar and extending along the side edge portions of said door and rigidly connected to said first substrate.